522: online learning for adults

Online Learning for AdultsEdTech 522 Final Project

Candace McEnespy

Purpose

"Teaching online means conducting a course partially or entirely through the Internet”

"A successful online teacher is one who promotes the achievement of learning objectives by facilitating engagement to empower students as life-long learners. The terms “engagement,” “empowerment,” and “life-long learning” have become well-used jargon by many educators."

What is it? 

Andragogy

Andragogy is the theory of adult learning that sets out the “scientific fundamentals of the activities of learners and teachers in planning, realizing, evaluating, and correcting adult learning”

learner-focused education

self-directed learners

teacher as facilitator

What does it meant for students to be engaged and empowered in an online environment? 

Characteristics of a well designed online learning class:

• Relevant and well-designed challenging activities.• Adequate and timely feedback from instructors.• Adequate and timely student-to-student interaction.• Active engagement in construction of knowledge with an

easy to use and powerful navigation system.• Deep learning encouraged through question design and

links to thought provoking sources.• Student learning could be self-paced to suit individual

student needs.• Student autonomy encouraged since students are in

charge of their own learning.

How can educators build on these components to create an effective and engaging online learning environment? 

Glogster

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Engagement

Engagement is a critical component to keep students online and learning

Social

Learning is a social event and requires interaction with multiple individuals

Higher Order Thinking Skills

The development of higher order thinking skills are almost always dependent on interactive teaching and learning.

"Effective online courses involve feedback, interaction, and content, and promote self-learning, as well as an understanding of learning styles. They foster an open curriculum, in which students learn from a variety of sources and are not limited to the scope and structure of the course. This is achieved through the use of various tools such as electronic presentation tools, online chat, whiteboard conferencing, e-mail, and Web-based resources."